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The Prince of Egypt
The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 American animated epic musical drama biblical film and the first traditionally animated film produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The film is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus and follows the life of Moses from being a prince of Egypt to his ultimate destiny to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. The film was directed by Brenda Chapman, Simon Wells and Steve Hickner. The film featured songs written by Stephen Schwartz and a score composed by Hans Zimmer. The voice cast featured a number of major Hollywood actors in the speaking roles, while professional singers replaced them for the songs, except for Michelle Pfeiffer, Ralph Fiennes, Steve Martin, Martin Short and Ofra Haza (who also sang her character's number, Deliver Us, in seventeen other languages for the film's dubbing), who sang their own parts. Jeffrey Katzenberg had frequently suggested an animated adaption of the 1956 film The Ten Commandments while working for The Walt Disney Company, and he decided to put the idea into production after founding DreamWorks in 1995. To make this inaugural project, DreamWorks Animation employed artists who had worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation and the recently disbanded Amblimation, totaling a crew of 350 people from 34 different nations. The film has a blend of traditional animation and computer-generated imagery, created using software from Toon Boom Animation and Silicon Graphics. The Prince of Egypt was released in theaters on December 18, 1998, and on home video on September 14, 1999. Reviews were positive, with critics praising the animation, music and voice work. The film went on to gross 218,613,188 dollars worldwide in theaters, which made it the most successful non-Disney animated feature at the time. The film's success led to the direct-to-video prequel Joseph: King of Dreams (2000) and the development of a stage adaptation. The song When You Believe became a commercially successful single in a pop version performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, and went on to win Best Original Song at the 1999 Academy Awards. Plot In Ancient Egypt, Yocheved, a Hebrew mother, and her two children, Miriam and Aaron, watch in horror as the newborn Hebrew boys are taken and ruthlessly killed as ordered by Pharaoh Seti I, who fears that an alarming increase could lead to rebellion. Fearing for her own newborn son's safety, Yocheved places him in a basket afloat on the Nile River, not before bidding him farewell with a final but powerful lullaby. Miriam follows the basket to the Pharaoh's palace and witnesses her baby brother safely adopted by Queen Tuya, who names him Moses. Years later, Moses and his brother Rameses II are scolded by their father for accidentally destroying a temple during one of their youthful misadventures, though Moses tries to take the blame. That evening at a palace banquet, Seti, who wants to give Rameses the opportunity to prove that he is responsible, names him Prince Regent and gives him authority over Egypt's temples. As a tribute, the high priests Hotep and Huy offer him a beautiful young Midian woman, Tzipporah, and Rameses gives her to Moses. Rameses then appoints him Royal Chief Architect. Later that evening, Moses follows Tzipporah as she escapes from the palace and runs into his siblings Miriam and Aaron. Miriam is overjoyed to see her younger brother again, but Aaron is fearful to watch the confrontation. Despite Aaron's attempts to protect his sister, Miriam tries to tell Moses about his past, but he refuses to listen. Miriam then sings her mother's lullaby, which causes Moses to remember the melody. Moses runs to the palace, eager to return to familiar surroundings. The truth about his past is later confirmed by a nightmare, and finally by Seti himself. The next morning, Moses accidentally pushes an Egyptian guard off the scaffolding of the temple when trying to stop him from whipping a Hebrew slave, and the guard falls to his death. Ashamed and confused, Moses flees into the desert in exile, despite Rameses' pleas to stay. While in the desert Moses defends three young girls from bandits, only to find out their older sister is Tzipporah, whom he helped escape from Egypt. Moses is welcomed by Tzipporah's father and the high priest of Midian, Jethro. After assimilating this new culture, Moses becomes a shepherd and marries Tzipporah. While chasing a stray lamb, Moses discovers a burning bush through which God tells him to go back to Egypt and guide the Hebrew slaves to freedom. God bestows Moses' shepherding staff with his power and promises that he will tell Moses what to say. Moses and Tzipporah return to Egypt, where Moses is happily greeted by Rameses, who is now Pharaoh. When Moses requests the Hebrew's release and changes his staff into an Egyptian cobra, to demonstrate his alliance with God, Hotep and Huy boastfully recreate this transformation, only to have their snakes eaten by Moses' snake. Rather than persuaded, Rameses doubles the Hebrews' workload. Moses and Tzipporah thereafter live with Miriam, who convinces Aaron and the other Hebrew to trust them. Later, Moses inflicts nine of the Plagues of Egypt, but Rameses refuses to relent despite each plague being worse than the one before. Against Moses' warning (foreshadowing the final plague), Rameses makes it clear that he will never release the Hebrew slaves. Disheartened by Rameses' words, Moses prepares the Hebrews for the tenth and final plague, instructing them to sacrifice a lamb and mark the doorposts with the lamb's blood. That night, the final plague kills all the firstborn children of Egypt, including Rameses' son, while sparing those of the Hebrews. The next day, a grief-stricken Rameses, mourning the loss of his son, finally gives Moses permission to free the Hebrews. Moses breaks down crying from the guilt of hurting Rameses, and from hearing the cries of numerous mothers across the city. The following morning, the Hebrews leave Egypt, led by Moses, Miriam, Aaron and Tzipporah. At the Red Sea, they discover that Rameses is closely pursuing them with his army. Upon the arrival, Moses uses his staff to part the sea, while a fire blocks the army's way. The Hebrews cross the open sea bottom; and when the fire vanishes and the army gives, the water closes over the Egyptian soldiers, sparing Rameses alone, who is washed ashore on the other side of the sea. Thereafter, Moses sadly bids farewell to his brother, and leads the Hebrews to Mount Sinai, where he receives the Ten Commandments. Category:1998 films Category:1990s American animated films Category:American musical films Category:Films produced by Penney Finkelman Cox Category:Films produced by Sandra Rabins Category:Films directed by Simon Wells Category:Films directed by Brenda Chapman Category:Films directed by Steve Hickner Category:Film scores by Hans Zimmer Category:DreamWorks Pictures films Category:Half-Disney Feature Animation Category:Non-Disney animated films Cast * Val Kilmer as Moses (and the voice of God) (sung by Amick Byram) * Ralph Fiennes as Rameses * Michelle Pfeiffer as Tzipporah * Sandra Bullock as Miriam (sung by Sally Dworsky) * Eden Riegel as young Miriam * Jeff Goldblum as Aaron * Patrick Stewart as Pharaoh Seti * Danny Glover as Jethro (sung by Brian Stokes Mitchell) * Helen Mirren as Queen Tuya (sung by Linda Dee Shayne) * Steve Martin as Hotep * Martin Short as Huy * Ofra Haza as Yocheved * Additional voices: James Avery, Aria Noelle Curzon, Stephanie Sawyer & Francesca Marie Smith * ADR Group: Laurie Faso, Ruben Garfias, Nick Jameson, Lauri Johnson, Steve Kramer, Randall Montgomery, Michelle Ruff, Doug Stone Songs * Deliver Us (performed by Ofra Haza and Eden Riegel) * All I Ever Wanted (performed by Amick Byram) * Queen's Reprise (performed by Linda Dee Shayne) * Through Heaven's Eyes (performed by Brian Stokes Mitchell) * Playing with the Big Boys (performed by Steve Martin and Martin Short) * The Plagues (performed by Amick Byram and Ralph Fiennes) * When You Believe (performed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Sally Dworsky) * When You Believe (end credits) (performed by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston) * I Will Get There (end credits) (performed by Boyz II Men) International releases For information about international dubs and releases, The Prince of Egypt/International.Category:1998 films Category:1990s American animated films Category:American musical films Category:Films produced by Penney Finkelman Cox Category:Films produced by Sandra Rabins Category:Films directed by Simon Wells Category:Films directed by Brenda Chapman Category:Films directed by Steve Hickner Category:Film scores by Hans Zimmer Category:DreamWorks Pictures films Category:Half-Disney Feature Animation Category:Non-Disney animated films Category:DreamWorks Animation Category:DVD Category:VHS